Gossamer, an 8-year-old golden retriever, gets hugged a lot by people who are going through perhaps the worst moments of their lives.
He is part of the HOPE Animal Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) organization, a group that has partnered with The Salvation Army nationally in emergency disaster services for a number of years. HOPE AACR offers emotional support following natural disasters and other crisis situations with its trained dog-and-handler teams.
“Gossamer’s quiet steady calm eases people around him, allowing them to feel—with no judgment,” said Janel Zuranski, state coordinator of HOPE AACR in Illinois and owner of Gossamer and 3-year-old Moose, another golden retriever and HOPE dog.
A new training component with HOPE staff and emotional and spiritual care (ESC) teams has been introduced, said Dr. Kevin Ellers, Central territorial disaster services director.
“We have trained our people on what the HOPE dogs do. We are now going to fully integrate the HOPE staff members within our own ESC teams,” Kevin explained. “They will take our training, and they will fully integrate within the ESC plan—not just for disasters but for other crisis and trauma situations.”
ESC has three levels: leaders, chaplains and specialists.
“We are very excited about partnering with the ESC team,” Janel said.
According to Kevin, the new training expands ESC capacity and will streamline the deployment process and expedite the response.
HOPE staff and volunteers will expand their knowledge of how to be present in a time of crisis; will learn the science behind how animals can provide comfort; use tools for recognizing signs of distress; and learn how to integrate animals in the ESC disaster operation, Kevin said.
Training will take place live or online through Zoom, Teams calls or modules with independent studies. Dogs will be incorporated into the training and exercises.
HOPE dogs must first serve as therapy dogs for one year. This is followed by a screening and then more training for crisis response, including psychological components, first-aid and more. Following the training, dogs become members of HOPE.
HOPE handlers and dogs were deployed to Highland Park, Ill., after the mass shooting in July 2022. Teams also have been sent for first-responder support, emergency management drills, educational events and to sites in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, school shootings and other disasters and crises.
“Kevin Ellers teaches about ‘holding space’ and that is exactly what Gossamer does,” Janel said of her pet. “Someone told me they like dogs because they never ask, ‘How are you doing?’ Dogs just listen and hold whatever fear, joy, hope, anxiety, pain or anticipation that is brought to them…it is the palpable love of God embodied.”
